News Items from The Kansas City Journal ~ Old News That's New to You from Vintage Kansas City.com

February 11, 1910

LOSES EYE IN CLASS FIGHT.

Flapjack Thrown by William Jewell

Junior Injures a Senior.

LIBERTY, MO., Feb. 10. -- This afternoon the annual class fight between the juniors and the seniors of William Jewel college culminated in the loss of an eye by Lewis Carr, a senior, the result of a flapjack thrown by a junior. The scrap started last night when the seniors placed their colors on top of the high school building. This morning a fight was waged between the two classes on top of the high school building. In the afternoon the freshmen joined the juniors and the sophomores allield themselves with the seniors. The juniors succeeded in placing their colors on the court house, but the seniors took them down and placed theirs around the statue of Liberty. Then it was that Lewis Carr met with his accident. The juniors would not let him down until the chief of police drove them off. The condition of the young man is serious.

Labels: Liberty, schools, sports, violence

January 19, 1910

HEADLESS CAP'S JOURNEY.

Is Making Tour by Tag Via Express

Companies' Lines.

LIBERTY, MO., Jan. 18. -- This express office here received last night the old cap started from Fort Worth, Tex., several months ago. It originally had but one tag on it which reads, "I wish to see the world." The tag was dated and asked that it be returned July 4, 1910. It had thirty tags on it representing different stopping places. It had been to Portland, Ore., New York, and many other large cities. At Liberty it had its first Adams Express is placed on it. After it has run on company's lines for a while it is changed to another. From Liberty it was sent to Cameron Junction.

Labels: Liberty, New York, railroad, Texas

November 15, 1909

CONDITIONS UNIFORMLY GOOD.

Inspection of Schools Develops a

Few Cases Needing Attention.

School pupils should be taught in the open air, according to Dr. W. S. Wheeler, city health commissioner. Dr. Wheeler has in charge the inspection of school children, which was made since Wednesday in every ward school in the city by six physicians appointed by him.

"In the greater number of cases in which children in the schools were found deficient physically, the cause was lowered vitality as a result of being cooped up in rooms," Dr. Wheeler said. "The normal child should live in the open air as much as possible and sleep in it.

"The inspectors not only examined the children, but also looked into the ventilation of the various rooms, examined the water supply and inspected every external feature of housing in schools. I t was found that many pupils had weak or defective eyes, hundreds had sore throats and chronic tonsillitis and a great number were afflicted with adenoids.

"No abnormal conditions among the pupils were found. The teachers seem anxious to co-operate with the physicians in charge of the inspection. Some of them already have begun to better the ventilation in their rooms. No room can be healthful where from sixty to 100 persons remain for hours at a time unless the greatest precautions are taken with its ventilations."

The inspecting physicians will visit every ward school in the city three times a week for a short period. The inspection will be cut to twice a week in a month or six weeks and afterwards to once a week. In the fifty schools inspected, about 100 children were sent home until they can be treated by physicians for weak eyes or sore throats.

Dr. E. H. Miller, city physician of Liberty, Mo., was in Kansas City yesterday to learn the system by which the inspection here is being made. It is probable that that city will take up inspection of children in its schools. A list of rules for the inspectors has been printed and will be sent out to them and principals of schools. The rules designate the duties of school officers and the inspectors in charge of the work.

Labels: doctors, health, Liberty, schools

September 7, 1909

TO READ POSTHUMOUS PAPER.

Prepared for Historical Society by

Late Captain Stephen Ragan.

Dr. Stephen H. Ragan will read a paper, prepared by his father, Captain Stephen Ragan, before his death, at the first meeting for the season of the Kansas City Historical Society, at 8 o'clock Thursday night, September 16, in the public library. Captain Ragan was the son of Jacob Ragan, one of the fourteen original owners of the site of Kansas City in 1834. The society formerly was known as the Early Settlers' Society.

D. C. Allen of Liberty, will address the society October 14. A Missouri river programme will be given November 18, and the December meeting will be devoted to historical data concerning the Shawnee Mission, which still stands southwest of Westport, across the Kansas line.

The officers of the society are: Dr. W. L. Campbell, president; W. J. Anderson, secretary; Mrs. Carrie Westlake Whitney, corresponding secretary; J. A. Bachman, treasurer.

Labels: history, Liberty, organizations, Shawnee Mission

August 16, 1909

HUGH C. WARD DIES

IN NEW YORK CITY.

APOPLEXY FOLLOWED HEAT

PROSTRATION A MONTH AGO.

Mrs. Ward and Judge PHilips at His

Bedside -- With Family Was

Spending Summer at Bass

Rooks Point, Mass.

HUGH C. WARD.

Hugh C. Ward, one of the most prominent attorneys of Kansas City, and a member of a pioneer family of Western Missouri, died from a stroke of apoplexy in New York yesterday morning.

An attack of heat prostration which he suffered in Chicago a month ago was one of the causes which led up to the death of Mr. Ward. He had never fully recovered from this attack, although his condition had improved sufficiently to permit him to continue his journey to New York, accompanied by his wife. With Mr. Ward at his death were Mrs. Ward, Judge John F. Philips and several relatives.

WESTERN TRIP FATAL.

Mr. Ward had taken a cottage for the summer at Bass Rocks Point, near Gloucester, Mass., and he left for that place in June with Mrs. Ward and their four children. Business matters required the presence of Mr. Ward in Kansas City and he came home for a few days in July. He left again for his summer home on July 13, but became ill as a result of becoming overheated in Chicago.

Mrs. Ward was called to his bedside by telegraph, and after a week his physician pronounced him able to travel. Mrs. Ward and her mother, Mrs. J. C. James, started for the East with Mr. Ward, but it was found necessary to make a stop in New York where Mr. Ward was taken to a hospital and given the attention of some of the best specialists of the city.

SUDDEN CHANGE FOR THE WORSE.

His improvement was slow, but a telegram from Mrs. Ward to her father, J. C. James, on Tuesday announced that he was much better. A sudden change occurred, however, and at 4 o'clock Saturday afternoon Mr. James received a message that Mr. Ward had grown much worse. Mr. James left at once for New York.

The announcement of the death of Mr. Ward came in a telegram from L. T. James, Mrs. Ward's uncle, who landed in New York yesterday morning from a European trip.

The funeral services and interment will occur in Kansas City, the details for these to be arranged as soon as Mr. James reaches New york.

In addition to his wife and the children, Hugh Campbell, Jr., James Crawford, Francis and John Harris, Mr. Ward is survived by his mother, the widow of Seth E. Ward, and his brother, John E. Ward.

LEGISLATION AND POLITICS.

Hugh C. Ward was born March 10, 1864 at Westport. His parents were Seth and Mary Frances Ward. Hugh was reared on the farm and received his elementary education at a private school in Westport and his collegiate education at William Jewell Collete, Liberty, Mo., and at Harvard University. He was graduated with honors from Harvard, a bachelor of arts, in 1886. He then entered the St. Louis Law School and in June, 1888, received his diploma. He then was admitted to the bar in Kansas City.

In recognition of his ability as a lawyer came in 1894 his appointment as receiver for the John J. Mastin & Co., banking business, on dissolution of partnership. The property involved consisted mostly of real estate, and amounted to more than $3,000,000.

Aside from his profession Mr. Ward was known in business circles as a director of the National Bank of Commerce, Commerce Trust Company, Kansas City Railway and Light Company, and of the Kansas City Home Telephone Company.

He was long influential in Democratic circles, and in 1892 was elected to the state legislature where he did much work in connection with constructive measures.

In case preparation Mr. Ward was known as thorough and exhaustive, and in presentation before a judge or jury clear and vigorous in expression, and intensely earnest.

As a politician he was equally successful and well known. In the legislature in 1892 besides being made vice chairman of the judiciary committee, he was appointed chairman of the committtee on conditional amendments.

In 1898 he was appoointed police commissioner by Governor Stephens, who also made Mr. Ward a member of his staff, and placed in his hands the organization of the Missouri National Guard. He resigned as police commissionier and retired from politics in 1902.

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL SIDE.

Mr. Ward was a member of the Society of Colonial Wars, deriving his eligibility through the lineal descent from Seth Ward, a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. H e was also a member of the Elks lodge, the Country Club, the Commercial Club, the Harvard Club of the Southwest and the American Bar Association.

Mr. Ward was married October 26, 1898, to Miss Vassie James, a graduate of Vassar college and a daughter of J. Crawford James.

One of Mr. Ward's last acts was to give $25,000 to the Young Women's Christian Association of Kansas City.

Labels: attorney, banking, business, death, Judge Philips, Liberty, New York, politics, universities, Westport, YWCA

July 11, 1909

BOUGHT THE FIRST LOT

IN KANSAS CITY.

J. C. EVANS, PIONEER RESIDENT,

DIES AT AGE OF 76 YEARS.

Was Second White Child Born Here.

Became Indian Trader in Early

Days -- Funeral Not

Announced.

J. C. EVANS.

J. C. Evans, 76 years of age, who was the second white child to be born in Kansas City, died at the University hospital yesterday afternoon as the result of an operation. Mr. Evans had been ill but a short while.

On Dundee place, and on the very highest point of that place, J. C. Evans was born. All around the house was farm land and wilderness, and off to the south and west was the thriving town of Westport. For almost twenty-one years Mr. Evans lived in the house on Dundee's place and did his share towards the building of the greater city upon which he looked with utmost pride in the last years of his life.

Mr. Evans, in those early days, was a trader by occupation, and many were the trips which he took over the old Santa Fe trail down into the Southwest to barter and trade with Indians. With the Indians around Kansas City he had many dealings and was looked upon as a fair man by them.

Shortly before the civil war Mr. Evans married Miss Elizabeth Campbell of Clay county. Within a few months the couple moved from Kansas City to a farm in Clay County, where Mr. Evans had lived until his death.

In 1880 Mrs. Evans died, and four years later Mr. Evans married Miss Sarah M. Plummer of Paris, France, whom he met while she was visiting in this country. Mrs. Evans survives her husband.

Among the interesting facts surrounding the long life of Mr. Evans are two most prominent. It was he who surveyed the first plat of Kansas City, and it was he who bought the first town lot.

Mr. Evans was the son of William B. and Amelia McGee Evans, both of whom were prominent in the pioneer days of Kansas City. Mrs. Evans, his mother, was one of the old Westport McGees.

Eight children survive: Mrs. S. P. Stowers, Millersburg, Mo.; Paul Evans, Mountain Grove, Mo.; Amelia Evans, Clay county; Mrs. J. H. Garth, 1035 Monroe avenue, Kansas City; Mrs. W. R. Soper, Independence, Mo.; Mrs. J. C. McGee, Texarkana, Tex.; J. C. Evans, Jr., Oldham, Mo., and J. M. Evans of Clay county. In Kansas City Mr. Evans has a brother, M. M. Evans, Twenty-fifth and Troost, and a sister, Mrs. William Vineyard, 1475 Independence avenue.

Owing to the condition of the railroad service no definite time has been set for the funeral. It will be held from the First Christian church. Rev. F. V. Lose of Liberty, Mo., will officiate. Burial is to be in the family lot at Elmwood cemetery.

Labels: churches, death, history, Independence avenue, Liberty, ministers, Monroe avenue, Native Americans, pioneers, Santa Fe Trail, University hospital, Westport

July 6, 1909

REVIEWED BATTLE

OF OLD WESTPORT.

REUNION AND PICNIC ON WOR-

NALL ROAD.

Pioneers Hear of Kansas City's Pre-

carious Situation During Price

Raid -- Purchase of Shaw-

nee Mission Proposed.

The battle of Westport was lived over again by a hundred of the city's oldest inhabitants comprising what is now known as the Historical Society at the old Wornall homestead at Sixty-first street and the Wornall road yesterday.

The occasion was a basket picnic of the society and the object was no more than to celebrate the nation's birthday but so many could recall the time when the Wornall mansion was a hospital and and the cottonwoods around the premises were split and riven in battle that the names of Price, Mulligan and Curtis came easy, and many a gray headed veteran leaned eagerly forward in his seat while the speakers marshaled before them the contending armies.

"It was this way," said Judge John C. Gage, who was a participant in the battle. "General Price driven from behind by the Federal forces left Independence, Mo., and crossed the Blue. It was a serious moment for Kansas City for General Curtis left the town unprotected and crossed over to Wyandotte to his headquarters. For a whole night the city was practically at the mercy of the Confederates.

"It was a good thing the Confederates did not know of this movement of Curtis. By the next day he had returned and when the battle occurred Curtis was on hand and fought like a tiger."

Several of the old residents who were present had never heard of the incident referred to by Judge Gage. Others who were participants on one side or the other remembered it distinctly.

MISPLACED STRATEGY.

"Very little has been said of Curtis's desertion of Kansas City at this time," said the judge after his speech to some of those who had never heard. "It was an incident quickly closed by the prompt return of the federal forces from across the Kaw. You see General Curtis at first believed it might be more important to protect Fort Leavenworth than the city. When he discovered how small a force General Price had and that he was practically running away from federal pressure behind he changed his mind. He was no coward and his retrograde movement was merely misplaced strategy."

Other speakers were Judge John B. Stone, ex-Confederate soldier; Mrs. Laura Coates Reed, Hon. D. C. Allen of Liberty, Mo., Miss Elizabeth B. Gentry, Mrs. Henry N. Ess, William Z. Hickman and Dr. W. L. Campbell. Frank C. Wornall read the Declaration of Independence and Mrs. Dr. Allan Porter read a selection entitled "Two Volunteers." The meeting of the society was presided over by Dr. Campbell, who also introduced the speakers.

A proposition was made by Mrs. Laura Coates Reed to the effect that the society purchase the old Shawnee mission in Johnson county, Kas., for a historical museum to be used jointly by the D. A. R. society and the Historical Society. Mrs. Reed's remarks along this line were seconded by those of Mrs. Henry Ess.

Labels: Blue river, Civil War, history, Independence, Johnson county, Judges, Kaw river, Leavenworth, Liberty, organizations, reunions, veterans, Westport

June 8, 1909

CHANCE FOR YOUNG MINISTER.

John H. Hardin, Christian Divine,

Arranges for Disposal of Library.

By the will of John H. Hardin, who was a Christian minister, formerly of Liberty, Mo., some young Christian minister will be given a valuable library. The testator provides that three ministers shall select a promising young divine to whom the books shall be given. The balance of the estate, with the exception of small bequests to children and friends, goes to Mrs. Willie A. Hardin, the widow, who is also named as administratrix.

Labels: books, Liberty, ministers, probate

April 27, 1909

TAFT NOW IS AN EXCELSIOR.

William Jewell Society, Nearly 70

Years Old, Frames Acceptance.

LIBERTY, MO., April 26. -- President William Howard Taft today accepted honorary membership in the Excelsior Literary Society of William Jewell College. His letter of acceptance is framed and hung in the society hall, together with one of Robert E. Lee, who was made an honorary member in 1868. The society was founded in 1940, and has turned out many noted men.

Labels: Liberty, organizations, President Taft

April 5, 1909

FIREWORKS ROUTED GREEKS.

Liberty Patriots Resented an In-

vasion of Foreign Labor.

LIBERTY, MO., April 4. -- A carload of Greek laborers, sent to Liberty for track work on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, started for Kansas City tonight after being subjected to a Fourth of July fireworks display that was not on the programme prepared by the railroad employment agent.

The Greeks did not come here with the cry of "Give me liberty or give me death" on their lips, but before they were allowed to emerge from the car they became convinced that there was absolutely no chance for liberty and almost certain death if they remained here.

The Greeks, although eager to earn and honest penny tamping ties and driving spikes, were glad to leave Liberty behind.

The home-grown laborers of Liberty do not want anything down here that looks or smells like Greeks. The information leaked out that about 100 Greeks had arrived last Saturday, were installed in a box car and were scheduled for work in these parts.

Armed with a full supply of spectacular skyrockets and Roman candles and noisy firecrackers, local anti-Greek enthusiasts surrounded the car and began what had all the earmarks of a patriotic demonstration. The Greeks looked at the affair from an entirely different viewpoint.

"Surely, this is not Liberty," said one of the Greeks.

"No, it is not liberty," said the captain of the gang. "This is hell."

Labels: fireworks, immigrants, Liberty, railroad

April 4, 1909

OLD SOLDIER A BRIDEGROOM.

Abraham Vanderpool Confesses to 70,

While His Bride is 44.

Abraham Vanderpool, an old soldier of Liberty, Mo., who modestly gave his age as 70, took out a license yesterday to wed Mrs. Martha Ann Fannon of Kansas City. She confessed to 44. The marriage ceremony was performed last night at the home of Mrs. Khoves, daughter of the bride, 225 West Sixteenth street.

Labels: Liberty, Seniors, Sixteenth street, veterans, wedding

March 2, 1909

IF THE DOCTORS CAN AGREE.

Smallpox Quarantine at Liberty, Mo.,

Will Be Raised.

There is a disagreement among the doctors of Liberty, Mo., over whether the smallpox quarantine should be raised. It was a very mild form of smallpox in the first place. To settle the dispute, Dr. W. S. Wheeler of the health and hospital board, who has had a great deal of experience with contagious diseases, was asked to come to Liberty and give his opinion. Dr. Wheeler will leave for Liberty this morning.

Labels: board of health, doctors, Liberty, smallpox

February 18, 1909

SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC

SPREADS IN LIBERTY.

ALL PUBLIC PLACES THERE

HAVE BEEN CLOSED.

Investigation by Secretary of State

Board of Health Shows Condi-

tion to Be Serious -- Twen-

ty New Cases.

LIBERTY, MO., Feb. 17. -- Twenty new cases of smallpox; six more residences quarantined; four fraternity houses under quarantine; high school, ward schools, churches, skating rink and theaters ordered closed; house-to-house canvass to be made, and all suspected places placed under temporary quarantine; outgoing mail from quarantined places refused at postoffice; laundry work from William Jewell college refused and students now doing their own washing.

Briefly, this is the smallpox situation here tonight.

Under orders from Governor Herbert S. Hadley, Dr. J. A. B. Adcock of Warrensburg, Mo., secretary of the state board of health, came here today and investigated, it having been alleged that in reality students and citizens were suffering from an aggravated form of chickenpox. When Dr. Adcock arrived he held a conference with Dr. F. W. Matthews, county member of the state board, Dr. Bert Maltby, city physician, and Mayor C. F. Murray.

The William Jewell gymnasium, which is being used as a pesthouse, was visited, and the smallpox diagnosis in every case was confirmed.

STUDENTS DO LAUNDRY WORK.

The Swan Laundry Company of Liberty, the only one here, refused bundles from the gymnasium today, even though thoroughly fumigated. The boys are washing their clothes in the bathrooms.

A. Z. York is a painter and paper-hanger, at whose wife's boarding house the initial case of smallpox was discovered. It was learned that he, too, had developed the disease, and his home was promptly quarantined.

The disease was discovered in six more residences today and the houses quarantined. The four fraternity houses here also were placed under quarantine. At the Sigma Nu chapter house Dr. Adcock examined ten students and found that eight had the disease.

Drs. Adcock, Maltby and Hooser visited four places in two hours and there discovered twenty cases of smallpox that had not been reported. Eleven of the new cases are students and nine are citizens. Five had just broken out yesterday and today.

Following the investigation, a meeting of physicians and citizens was called by Mayor Murray.

Dr. Adcock suggested the immediate closing of the high school, all of the ward schools, all churches, the skating rink and the theaters. All these places will remain closed until the city physician and his assistant raise the quarantine.

Tomorrow Drs. Maltby and Hooser will begin a house to house canvass of the entire town. The physicians are of the opinion that the college may be able to open in two weeks. After tonight the postoffice here will refuse all mail from quarantined places.

Labels: doctors, fraternal organizations, Herbert Hadley, Liberty, smallpox

February 16, 1909

PEST HOUSE DETECTIVES

LAND TWO PRISONERS.

MAN WHO BROUGHT SMALLPOX

TO LIBERTY CONFESSES.

Student Who Dared Germs to Catch

Him Placed in Solitary Con-

finement -- Now for

Fumigation!

Smallpox is still raging at William Jewell college, and The Journal's correspondent, the only vaccinated newspaper man in Liberty, and the only correspondent woh is right at the seat of war, or, to be more exact, right in the pest house, got busy last night nad sent a startling story via fumigated long distance telephone, the only fumigated long distance telephone in the world.

Readers of The Journal need have no fear in reading this column, as all type is sterilized before going to the press room.

"Hello! Is this Liberty?" said the Kansas City Journal's smallpox expert at the Kansas City end.

"That's the name of the town," said The Journal's vaccinated staff correspondent, "but technically speaking, this is not Liberty, not Independence, either. This is the quarantine station."

"Good. How is everything at the pesthouse?

NEIGHBORS DOING WELL.

"Well, the neighbors are doing about as well as could be expected. The big news? Hold your ear close to the 'phone.

"The detective bureau got busy today and achieved two distinct victories. Landed the fellow who brought the malady back here after the holidays. Name, Sanford E. Tilton, residence, Allendale, Mo. Came back to college January 5. Showed symptoms on January 17 and on January 23 purchased a pair of eye-glasses."

"What's the significance of the eye-glasses? Wanted to see his finish?"

"No, sore eyes is one of hte earlier symptoms of smallpox. Investigation by our expert sleuths disclosed the fact that the suspect had purchased the eye-glasses after a few days' confinement. Doc, the family physician out here, rounded him up today and we wrung a complete confession out of him. He's not dangerous, but we have him with us. He likes it, too. No doubt that he's the fellow. He sat right next to one of the other fellows who was one of the smallpox pioneers.

LOOKED FOR TROUBLE, GOT IT.

"Yes, another one. Put down this name. Henry Weber, home, St. Louis, admitted to the bar, but still studying. Wanted to catch the smallpox. Came down here when Doc was taking his morning constitutional, crept inside and dared the pox to attack him. Made his getaway.

"What happened?"

"Hold your breath. Doc got indignant, went to the fellow's room, locked him in and announced that he is to be kept in solitary confinement for one week."

"What's that, feed? O, yes. They're feeding him through a crack."

"Had another recruit today. He plays first cornet and when he was brought in he was immediately assigned to the orchestral quarters. lays well and the band concert today showed great improvement. Don't wish anyone any bad luck, but we did need a first cornet.

ANTISEPTIC BATHS ARE ON.

"Basketball was cancelled today and the warmest exercise was the antiseptic bath. This is to be a daily feature until the official fumigation, which is to be inaugurated next Thursday.

"Feature of the band concert for Thursday morning will be 'Hot Time in Old Town Tonight' and 'Smoke Up Some More."

"School will positively reopen next Monday, and Doc (don't forget to mention Doc Hooser's name, he's a D. D. and an M. D. and a real fellow) thinks we'll all be at liberty, literally as well as geographically, by the end of the week. And, by the way, twenty students beat it out of town when the smallpox was first discovered and went home, but that's all been fixed. They're all in a little quarantine of their own at the instigation of the local college officials, who notified the police in the towns where these fellows live to keep 'em confined.

"The first band number is about on. So long."

Labels: doctors, Liberty, smallpox, telephone, The Journal

February 15, 1909

SMALLPOX VICTIMS

DISCUSS LIFE OF JOB.

SYMPATHY AT LIBERTY FOR

THE BIBLICAL CHARACTER.

William Jewell's Afflicted Students

Keep in Touch With the World

Via Telephone -- Love

Letter Relayed.

"Hello! Hello! Is this Liberty? The gymnasium of William Jewell college, I mean?"

"You mean the pest house, don't you?" said the man at the other end. "You do? I thought so."

"Well, how is everything at the pest house today?"

"Fine and dandy. Eight new patients brought in this morning, and they're doing fine. What's that? The Sunday dinner? Great, only Doc has put the lid on meat diet, and there was nothing doing in the chicken line. Smallpox patients, you know, are not allowed to eat flesh meat."

"Any excitement today?"

"Excitement? Surest thing you know. We had Sunday school at 9:30 this morning and preaching at 11."

"Who did the preaching?"

"Yours truly, the speaker, The Journal's regular correspondent at Liberty. Knew I was in the smallpox jug down here, too, didn't you?"

"Well, that is interesting; what did you preach on?"

" 'As He Thinketh in His Heart So is He.' "

"Anything else?"

JOB UP FOR DISCUSSION.

"Yes, young people's meeting this afternoon. The topic: 'What I Have Learned from the Life of Job.' Yes, and maybe we don't sympathize with that well known and popular character, too. Tee-hee."

The William Jewell college is still in quarantine, but the William Jewell pesthouse, so-called, is one of the jolliest spots in Liberty. For several days past the "gym" of William Jewell has been dedicated to Red Cross purposes, and some forty students, down with a mild attack of smallpox, have been having the best time they have experienced since the football season closed.

Information from the William Jewell "gym" must come by long distance telephone. The Journal's correspondent is among those present and vaccinated, and he is doing his little best under the difficulties.

In addition to the baseball teams, the handball flives, the quartet and band, the smallpox victims are seriously considering the advisability of establishing a detective bureau, with a view to ascertaining who is the guilty mark that brought the dread disease to Liberty.

WHO'S THE GUILTY ONE?

In times past William Jewell students, after their Christmas vacation, have brought back some funny things, but the student who brought back this fairly well developed case of smallpox probably was not trying to spring a joke. That some student did bring the malady back among his home products is nearly certain. But who did it?

The pesthouse band was not working yesterday, the day being given over mainly to religious exercises, but the strenuous and merry programme will be inaugurated again this morning.

Last Saturday night the pesthouse boys had a time that made the unafflicted on the outside world green with envy. One student delivered an oration on "The Romans in Carthage (Mo.)"; the pesthouse quartet sang several popular and classic songs and the pesthouse band made a melodic disturbance that could be heard as far east as Main street.

SHY ON FLOOR SPACE.

There have been so many beds added to the "gym" that they are shy on floor space and the basketball games will have to be abandoned. The weather may put a damper on the ball games, and as the college authorities put the ban on pinochle and seven-up, the students will be forced to chess and checkers for excitement unless the sun comes out and gets busy.

The several love-sick students in confinement are having the sorriest time of it all. They can write letters to their sweethearts afar, but as the nervous heroine has often said: "Now that I have written the note, who shall take it?"

It was Hocksaw himself who used to say: "I will take the note," but Hockshaw wasn't in quarantine.

DICTATES LETTER BY PHONE.

One young man who doesn't care particularly who knows his business dictated a letter over the telephone to a friend downtown, the friend copying the letter with violet ink and mailing it to the nerve-strained, restless maid who had been vainly waiting at the other end of the romance and wondering what had happened.

There are sixty cases of smallpox in William Jewell by actual count. It is the intention of the faculty to reopen the college a week from today and students in the "gym" have likewise been notified to get well. Reports indicate that they have been having entirely too good a time.

Dr. W. B. Hooser is in charge of the patients. "Doc," as he is affectionately addressed by every one of his patients, has had the smallpox, so that he is not in danger. He has also won the vote of every afflicted man by giving the positive assurance that there will be no pox marks on the face or body.

Labels: doctors, illness, Liberty, music, romance, smallpox, telephone, The Journal

February 12, 1909

SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC

AT WILLIAM JEWELL.

FIFTY SUFFERING FROM MAL-

ADY AND SCHOOL IS CLOSED.

Gymnasium a Temporary Pesthouse

and 25 Unfrightened Patients

Kill Time by Playing

Basketball.

LIBERTY, MO., Feb. 11. -- Fifty students of William Jewell college are down with smallpox and school has been dismissed.

The gymnasium has been converted into a temporary pesthouse and twenty-five of the afflicted are confined there.

Ten patients are confined in sheds on the campus and fifteen are in their rooms.

A quarantine has been ordered and no student is allowed to leave the city.

The pesthouse is guarded. Those confined there say that they are having a great time. The form of the disease prevalent among them is a light one, and they spend most of their time playing basketball, for which the gymnasium is splendidly fitted.

Baseball is practiced on the lawn outside by the invalids. Only a few are confined to their beds. The gymnasium resembles an imprisoned dormitory of school boys rather than the contagion ward of a hospital. Inmates are allowed to use the telephone and may call up their parents daily over the long distance.

Dr. T. B. Hooser and Dr. W. F. Maness, two students, are in attendance on those afflicted with the disease.

Last Friday 400 students and all the members of the faculty were vaccinated, so that everybody has a sore arm. John Green, son of President J. P. Green, is one of those taken down. He is confined at his home. All of the basketball games scheduled for the rest of the season have been given up. Many of the students who were back in their studies are taking advantage of the holiday to catch up. Others are having a good time in a social way.

Labels: doctors, Liberty, schools, smallpox, sports

November 17, 1908

EX-CONVICT FOOLS

CHURCH PEOPLE.

ALSO DELIVERS ADDRES BE-

FORE LADIES' STUDY CLUBS.

MANY YEARS SPENT

IN PRISON.

HAD PLANNED TO ORGANIZE

SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS HERE.

Reardon's Singing of "Holy City"

in a Church Praised by One

Newspaper -- Acts as His

Own Lawyer.

"Mr. William A. Graves was a visitor in our city last evening. He paid a very welcome visit to the rectory and at a special service sang 'The Holy City' in the Methodist church. Mr. Graves is an accomplished gentleman of much Oriental travel, and is always a delightful guest."

So says a newspaper clipping, part of a bundle two inches thick, relating to Arthur P. Spencer, alias a dozen other names, among them Harry Reardon. There was not much in the proceedings in the federal court yesterday afternoon to identify the "Holy City" singer as being Harry Reardon, on trial for impersonating an officer, so that he can be held to give the state authorities time to see if he is the man who killed the Chinaman last week near Liberty.

Reardon acted as his own lawyer and made a botch of the whole business. The government put six or eight witnesses on the stand who testified that Reardon had gone to their laundries or stores, had spoken to them in Chinese, had said he could "fix" residence certificates for from $150 to $400 and had collected from $3 to $6 from each of them in the way of loans. Every witness examined told the same story, and Reardon was unable to break down one of them. This morning he will take the stand in his own behalf and will have several white people by means of whom he will try to establish a reputation.

"You came to my house and said that you could fix up residence papers for a boy in my kitchen, who had none," said Dr. Mon Gong Young.

"I did, did I! And what did you say?"

TOO MUCH FOR THE DOCTOR.

"I said I would not pay it. It was too much," the doctor answered, whereat Assistant United States District Attorney George Neal, conducting the case, had to laugh. The simplicity of the witness was too much for his decorum.

Reardon or Spencer, or whatever his name is, is an animate example of a misspent life. Master of the difficult Chinese language, he could command $100 a month steadily, according to the government interpreter who was sent here to help in the case now on trial. In addition to English and Chinese, he speaks Portuguese, Spanish and Italian.

With all these accomplishments and without a dollar to his name, after living forty or forty-five years, he has a record of having done five years in the New York penitentiary, three years in the Pennsylvania state penitentiary, two terms of three years in the California Penal Institute and three years in the state penitentiary in Washington. In addition he was sentenced to do three months in jail in Pennsylvania for beating a woman out of a board bill, but was paroled. He was fined "to pay 6 1/4 cents to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania" at another time and to undergo three months in jail for representing himself as a lawyer long enough to collect $5 from one Frank de Laurentis, and there is a sentence of three years hanging over him in New York for a last offense.

GETS SMALL SUMS.

To merit all this punishment Reardon has done no more than blackmail small sums of money out of contraband Chinese, commit perjury, forgery once and represent himself as a government inspector. In being sent up in Pennsylvania the federal judge declared that Reardon was doubly guilty for not taking advantage of his accomplishments. Now he is in Kansas City trying to prove that he was here organizing a Sunday school, and trying to disprove that he killed the Chinaman found dead a week ago near Liberty and with having borrowed money from laundrymen here under penalty of turning up unregistered Chinamen to the government.

The records show Reardon to be a man of amazing nerve. He borrowed $5 from a Pennsylvania chief of police after explaining to the chief that he was in his town looking for contrabands. At another time he actually went to a government immigration officer, in Waterville, Pa., and told that he was a lawyer representing the Six Companies, adding that the Chinese company always required him, when in the vicinity of immigration officers, to work with federal authorities. Thereupon Reardon, sailing under the name of Spencer, asked for a dozen John Doe warrants so he could make an arrest. Armed with those -- which he did not get --Reardon could have made a hot time of it in Waterville Chinatown.

Witnesses on the stand here yesterday said that Reardon had told some of them that he was a government immigration officer, detailed to look after the Chinese, but that for $400 he would let any Chinaman into the United States. Reardon is up to the minute on the Chinese exclusion law, which has made him formidable in the laundries, where, as one witness said yesterday, through an interpreter"

"He came in and asked if I had any papers and any boys without papers. He said he was an inspector and wanted to see mine. I was not sure that he would not destroy them if I handed them to him, so I gave him $3 he asked for and got rid of him that way."

"PERSECUTION," SAYS HE.

"It is all a conspiracy," said Reardon to United States Judge Pollock. "The Chinese hate a white man who speaks their language. They have tried for years to have me locked up. I am being persecuted, and I want the court to protect me."

"The court will," Judge Pollock replied.

Reardon showed his legal training when at one time he said hastily:

"I object, your honor. That is misleading."

"It is a little so," the court admitted. "Objection sustained."

Reardon, while in Kansas City during his three weeks, had addressed a ladies' study club, addressed a church society, had undertaken to organize a Sunday school class of fifteen Chinamen, got mixed up in a murder and now is nabbed on the word of eight laundrymen and storekeepers, on a charge of representing himself as a government inspector of Chinese certificates.

In swearing the witnesses, the usual form prescribed for use in this country was followed. Reardon, familiar with Chinese customs and himself knowing the trivial light of the United States oath in the eyes of a Chinaman, offered no objection. This was supposed by the government authorities to be his ruse for a fight later on to throw out testimony. The evidence is being given before a jury.

"They could not take a binding oath no matter what form it was administered in," said Reardon. "To make a Chinaman tell the truth, he has to break a saucer over the grave of an ancestor, have a baked fowl there, and walk all around the grave. They have no graves here. This trial is ridiculous. They are determined to keep me locked up, and are here now doing their best."

Labels: California, con artist, courtroom, doctors, immigrants, Judge Pollock, Liberty, United States District Court

November 7, 1908

CHINAMAN SMUGGLED IN

MEETS MYSTERIOUS DEATH.

Found Along Railroad Tracks Near

Birmingham, He May Have

Been Thrown From Train.

The body of a Chinaman, decomposed almost beyond recognition and clothed in American costume and the Oriental accouterments, was found along the railroad tracks at Birmingham early yesterday morning. From all the evidence obtainable it is believed that the Chinaman met with foul play en route to Chicago. The fact that no bones were broken lends evidence to the belief that he may have been murdered and thrown from a passing train, although there are no marks of violence on his body.

Workmen found the body early yesterday morning and immediately placed it on a train and sent it to Liberty, where it is in the possession of Sharp Bros., undertakers, pending an inquest this morning.

From all appearances the man had been dead two or three days when found in a secluded spot along the railroad tracks. When the body was searched at Liberty yesterday morning letters were found in his pocket which indicated his name, also his destination and the point from which he traveled.

Wong Chee Tock is his name. The address of the Quong On Lung Company, 317 South Clark street, Chicago, is given on a letter head which was found in his pocket, also the address of a firm or company in Juarez, Mexico.

An altogether probable theory is that Wong Chee Tock was en route to Chicago, having been smuggled into this country over the Mexican line, and that he fell under the displeasure of some of his countrymen.

Labels: Birmingham, death, immigrants, Liberty, Mexico, railroad

June 14, 1908

CROPS AND GARDENS DAMAGED.

Missouri River Towns in This Vicin-

ity Will Suffer Greatly.

Much damage is being done to the crops which are planted in the vicinity of the smaller towns along the course of the Missouri. The gardens along the Blue river are mostly safe as yet, but there is great anxiety felt for their safety during the next two or three days.

At Harlem and Coburg, many garden and berry fields have been planted in the bottoms and these have been a total loss. All along the course of the Missouri, from Kansas City to Liberty, the lowlands are under water to the depth of from two to six feet. Some corn fields and much wheat and smaller gardens are completely washed out by the flood.

At Northern Junction and Randolph, the chief loss is of small gardens. Randolph is higher than most of the other smaller towns along the river and but few houses have been flooded by the high water. The residents are making preparations for any emergency and will be able to meet the flood when it comes. Their experience in the flood of 1903 was a good lesson to them. The people in Randolph are quite hopeful, thinking that the river will not rise high enough this year to severely injure them.

Labels: Blue river, flood, Liberty, Missouri river

August 16, 1907

NURSED JESSE JAMES

ARREST OF NEGRO REVIVES FOR-

GOTTEN BANDIT.

Son of Noted Highwayman, but

Now a Lawyer, Appeared in

Court in Defense of

Former Slave.

Charles Finley, a negro, of 523 Bluff street, who was tried before Justice J. B. Shoemaker yesterday afternoon and bound over to the criminal court on the charge of stabbing Edward Dyer, a member of the fire department at the Fifth and Bluff street station, was reared by Zerelda James-Samuels, was a hostler for Jesse and Frank James, the bandits, in their palmy days, and nursed young Jesse James, the Kansas City lawyer. Young Jesse defended him in the justice court yesterday and would take no fee.

"It's the first time I have been in trouble, since Master Jesse was killed twenty-five years ago in St. Joseph," said Finley last evening. "When I was arrested, I telephoned for Young Jesse, for I done raised that boy from a baby, just as his grandmother had raised me, and he came double quick and took my case. I knew he would not forget me when I got in trouble.

My father and mother were 'Reldie James' slaves long before the war. They lived on a farm near Kearney, Clay county, where I was born during the war. I never was a slave, but Old Misses 'Reldie raised me and my mother gave me to Susan James until I was 21 years of age. When Susan married Mr. Palmer and went to Texas, I went along and worked for them.

"I was back in Kearney pretty soon, though, and lived with 'Reldie. I never could forget that she had treated me like one of her own when I was a baby and that she always put me back of her on the horse when she rode to Liberty or about the farm.

"When Jesse and Frank got to be bad men, they needed someone with them so they took me to care for their horses and run errands. I ran with them most all the time, until Jesse was killed. I was not in St. Joseph that day, but heard all about it pretty soon. I was at home with 'Reldie.

"Old Miss 'Reldie thinks a whole lot of me yet -- she is Mrs. Samuels now, you know -- but she wouldn't do any more for me than would young Jesse or his sister.

"How did I come to leave her? Why, I came down here after Jesse was killed. I have worked for young Jesse a good deal. Then I got married and have a family of my own, so I have to stay here and work."

Charlie is a concreter. He says he makes $2 a day at it, but he doesn't enjoy the work nearly so well as he used to enjoy living on the farm near Kearney and helping " 'Reldie" take care of young Jesse.

"That boy sure was a smart little fellow," Finley says, "but he was powerful mischievous."

Labels: Bluff street, criminal court, Fifth street, James Gang, Jesse James Jr, Judge Shoemaker, Liberty, Texas